Claw-hammer.



I PATENTED JUNE 4; 1907.

. -E. PALMER.

W HAMMER. v.21,19o5. RE

OLA

OLE E. PALMER, OF OSGOOD, NORTH DAKOTA.

CLAW-HAMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

A li ti fil d November 21, 1905. Renewed May 6, 1907. Serial No.872,032.

To CLZZ whom, it may cancer-n:

Be it known that I, OLE E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Osgood, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota,have invented new and useful Improvements in Claw-Hammers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to claw hammers, and its primary object is toprovide a device of this character wherein the head thereof is providedwith a novel and highly useful fulcrum member which is adjustablymounted to permit of its being projected beyond the outer edge of thehead of the hammer so as to produce varying increased leverage power forremoving nails, whereby nails of varying lengths may be drawn withoutdanger of breaking the hammer claws or bending the nails, said fulcrummember having such connection with the head of the hammer that when itis retracted the hammer head has the usual appearance, and to preventthe. ful crum members forming an obstruction in the ordinary use of thehammer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hammer which is simpleand durable of construction, one wherein the fulcrum member may be heldrigidly in its adjusted position, and one which may be manufactured andsold at a comparatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a hammer constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22of Figure 1. Fig. 3 is avertical central sectional view through the headof the hammer. Fig. 4 is a detail front'elevation of the fulcrum member.Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation thereof, and Fig. 6 is a top plan viewof the hammer, the fulcrum member being removed.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, 1 denotes the handle,and 2 the head of a hammer, the head of the hammer 2 being provided withthe usual heel portion 3 and claw portion 4. The head of the hammer 2has its top edge recessed, as at 5, and is provided with a centrallyarranged and transversely extending socket 6, said socket alining with asimilar socket 7 in the upper end of the handle 1. The opposite sideedges of the head 2 are provided with undercut grooves 8, said groovesextending throughout the entire length of the head 2 and opening outthrough the top edge thereof.

9 denotes the fulcrum member which is curved on the arc of a circle soas to facilitate the withdrawal of a nail and so as to correspond to thegeneral contour of the top edge of the head 2 and fit within the recess5, whereby to give to the hammer the usual appearance when the fulcrummember 9 is in its retracted position and to prevent the fulcrum memberforming an obstruction in the ordinary use of the hammer. Formedintegrally with and depending from the fullcrum member 9 are arms 10,said arms being provided with beveled edges 1 1 and mounted for movementwithin the undercut grooves 8.

A rod 12 depends from the under-side of the fulcrum member 9 and ispositioned within the sockets 6 and 7. An expansive coiled spring 13 ismounted within the sockets 6 and 7 and surrounds the rod 12, said rodserving.

as a guide for the upper end of thecoiled spring 13 when the fulcrummember 9 is in its projected position. The spring 13 tends to retain thefulcrum member 9 normally projected, and to retain the fulcrum member 9in rigid projected position, or in its retracted position, I mount uponthe head 2 a pivoted latch finger 14. The latch finger 14 is securedbetween two cars 15 formed integrally with the hammer head 2 by means ofa pivoted bolt 16. The upper end of the latch finger is bifurcated, asat 17, to position its notch engaging portions 18 for engagement withnotches 19 upon the edges of the arms 10. The other end of the latchfinger 14 is enlarged to provide a thumb piece 14, and the notchengaging portions 18 are held normally engaged with the notches 19 bymeans of a spring 14".

lVhen it is desired to use the fulcrum member 9, the latch finger 14 isoperated to withdraw its portions 18 from engagement with the notches19, thus permitting the fulcrum member 9 being projected by means of thespring 13. After the fulcrum member has been properly adjusted, theportions 18 of the latch finger 14 are permitted to engage in therecesses 19, whereby to rigidly hold the fulcrum member 9 in itsadjusted position. With the fulcrum member in a position be yond theouter edge of the head, a nail of IIO.

more than the ordinary length may be easily hammer claws or bending thenail. The fulcrum member 9 may be positioned at different distances fromthe outer edge of the hammer head 2 so as to adapt the hammer forextracting nails of varying lengths.

Having fully described and illustrated my invention, what I claim is:

The combination with a handle provided with a socket in the upper endthereof, a hammer head secured to the handle and having its upper edgerecessed and its opposite side edges provided with under-cut groovesopening out through the upper edge thereof, said hammer head beingprovided with an opening extending transversely therethrough andcommunicating with the socket in the handle, a curved fulcrum memberadapted to occupy the recess when not in use, notched arms dependingfrom the fulcrum member and having beveled edges, a rod depending fromthe fulcrum member for engagement in the opening and the socket, aspring located in the opening and the socket and surrounding the rod,ears formed integrally with the hammer head, a latch finger pivotallysecured between the ears and havingits upper end bifurcated to positionits notch engaging portions for engagement with the notches in the armsof the fulcrum member, and a spring interposed between the hammer headand latch finger to normally retain the engaging portions of the latchfinger in engagement with the notches of the arms.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' OLE E. PALMER.

WVitnesses: 1

GEO. F. FULLER,

BESSIE G. MAOLEAN.

